Disposable plastic aspirator



D. HADLER A ril 28, 1970 DISPOSABLE PLASTIC ASPIRATOR Original Filed July 7, 196'? ATTORNEY.

United States Patent US. Cl. 239308 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A disposable aspirator is constructed of plastic with two corverging conduits that terminate in a diverging chamber.

This invention relates to liquid spraying devices and more particularly to a disposable plastic aspirator adapted to spray a surgical adhesive and other liquid materials by means of a propellant gas stream provided by an air gun that may be separated from the aspirator.

The utility of the 2-cyanoacrylate esters such as methyl- 2-cyanoacrylate and its homologues for the surgical repair of body tissue has been published by many clinical investigators. The reactivity of these compounds is such, however, that the surgeon experiences difliculty in their application. The monomer polymerizes exothermically in contact with moisture and can generate sufiicient heat to cause tissue damage if applied in excess quantities. The spray application of 2-cyanoacrylate esters is the prefered method of treating certain bleeding surfaces that many occur for example in periodontal surgery and in surgery involving the liver. Difliculties have been experienced with spraying apparatus of conventional design, however, due to polymerization of the Z-cyanoacrylate esters within the applicator. The polymer is resistant to solvents and difficult to remove.

An object of this invention is to provide a disposable plastic aspirator that may be used with a modified air gun in the sterile application of 2-cyanoacrylate esters.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sterile packaged aspirator unit that may be used one time and then discarded.

Further objects and advantages of this invention, as well as its construction, arrangement and operation Will be apparent from the following description and claims in connection with the following drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a modified air gun with a disposable plastic aspirator attached thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the air gun illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the disposable plastic aspirator illustrated in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of a gas distribution device;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the gas distribution device of FIGURE 4 as viewed from the left;

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the gas distribution device of FIGURE 4 as viewed from the right, and

FIGURE 7 illustrates a disposable aspirator, the distribution chamber of which has been modified.

FIGURE 1 shows an air gun generally designated 10, including a cylindrical container 11 removably secured to the head 12 of the gun by a threaded connection 14.

As best shown in FIGURE 2 a threaded connection 16 at the forward end of the head of the gun secures the air tube 18 to the gun. A source of compressed air may be 3,508,710 Patented Apr. 28, 1970 connected to a tube 19 which communicates with a port 20 at the base of the head of the gun. Alternatively the port 20 may be closed by a threaded plug 21 and the gun operated without an external connection. Under such circumstances gas pressure is supplied by an internal cartridge 22 of compressed gas.

The valve mechanism that controls the flow of gas from an external source or alternatively from the gas cylinder is a Shrader valve of the type conventionally used on automible tires. The valve stem 24 is activated by the sliding plunger 26 as the surgeon applies finger pressure to the air control knob 27. When an external source of gas pressure is employed, it flows through the conduit 28, through the Shrader valve and into the expansion chamber 30. '7

When the port 20 is closed by the threaded plug 21, the air gun may be used without external connections, an important convenience when the surgeon is working deep within a body cavity.

When so used, the gas pressure is supplied from the cartridge 22. The length of the cartridge and cylinder 11 is such that the slotted projection 32 of the gas distribution device 34 forces the flexible washer 36 at the end of the cartridge 22 away from the valve seat 38, permitting gas to escape through the slot 32 into the chamber 42. When the Shrader valve is activated as described above, gas from the chamber 42 passes through the radial conduits 43 and 44, the longitudinal conduit 46 and the radial conduits 48 and 49 into the annular chamber 50. From chamber 50, the gas flows through conduit 52 past the Shrader valve and into the expansion chamber 30.

The disposable plastic aspirator of the pressure invention is preferably constructed of a thermoplastic material and has a longitudinal bore 52' one end '53 of which is sized to receive the end of the air tube 18. The other end of the longitudinal bore emerges into the apex 54 of a diverging chamber 56 that may be conical in shape as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. A second bore 58 is inclined at an angle with respect to the first bore and communicates with the diverging chamber at a point removed from the point 54. The bore 58 is enlarged at one end to frictionally receive the end 60 of a dispensing tube 62 containing a 2-cyanoacrylate ester. The angle between the longitudinal bore 52 and the bore 58 may vary from about 10 to about and will be dependent upon the geometry of the diverging chamber 56 and the point at which the bore 58 enters the chamber. Preferably the angle between the bore 58 and the longitudinal bore '52 is about 30. The chamber 56 illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3 is conical in shape and so proportioned that the diameter of the exit from the conical chamber (a) is approximately equal to the distance ([2).

A modified aspirator useful in applying a narrow band of adhesive may be constructed with a rectangular chamber as shown in FIGURE 7.

If the surgeon should need to apply an adhesive at any time during a surgical procedure, it is only necessary for the operating room nurse to remove the sterile aspirator from its sealed package and slide it on the end of the air tube 18. A sterile tube of a Z-cyanoacrylate adhesive is opened and the end 60 is forced into the enlarged opening of the bore 58. The instrument is then ready for use by the surgeon.

Should it be necessary to use this instrument another time later on in the operation, the bore 58 may be oba 3 c 4 stiucted by polymerized adhesive. In such an event, the a second bore communicating with said diverging chamnurse need only remove the tube 62 from the aspirator ber at a point removed from the apex thereof, the and insert it into a new aspirator. The used aspirator is other end of said second bore being adapted to rethen removed from the air tube 18 and discarded, the new ceive a conduit extending from a container of surgiaspirator is placed on the end of the air tube, and the 5 cal adhesive. instrument is again ready for use. References Cited What is claimed is: 1. A dispenser for the application of a liquid surgical UNITED STATES PATENTS adhesive in small particulate form comprising in combina- 5331489 8/1895 Daren 2393O3 tion; 10 2,721,763 10/1955 Miner 239308 a manually operated pressure gun constructed with a 2,749,178 6/1956 Larson 239-308 cylindrical chamber adapted to receive a cartridge ,888, 8 5/1959 Fedit 239-308 of compressed gas; 3,289,949 12/ 1966 Roth 239-308 an expansion chamber Within said pressure gun; 3,378,205 4/1968 Barker 239-337 an elongated exit tube in communication with the ex- 15 pansion chamber; FOREIGN PATENTS valve means responsive to finger pressure operating to 1,242,356 3/1860 Franc?" control the How of gas from said cartridge into said expansion chamber and through said exit tube; EV T KIRBY, Primary Examiner a disposable plastic applicator having a first centrally 20 located longitudinal bore extending therethrough one US. Cl. X.R. end of which receives and frictionally engages said 239337 elongated tube, the other end of which terminates at the apex of a diverging chamber, and; 

